Living in NYC and traveling whenever – and wherever – I can.

Tuesday Top Ten: Favorite Movie Lines

I haven’t done a Tuesday Top Ten list in a very, VERY long while, but recently I was watching a movie (My Best Friend’s Wedding) while procrastinating on studying, and I was inspired by a particularly funny scene to make this list. Specifically, it got me thinking about my favorite lines from movies – the ones that have stuck with me over the years, whether for being poignant, wise, or (in most cases) hilarious. These lines aren’t necessarily from the movies I consider best, but they are the bits of dialogue I find the most memorable and often wind up quoting with alarming frequency.

(1) Inception:

The Line: “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

Why It’s Great: Nobody is more suave than Tom Hardy, amirite?! I also like this quote because, thinking beyond the context of the movie itself, it’s just solid life advice in general.

(2) When Harry Met Sally:

The Line: “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Why It’s Great: I had to pick at least one unabashedly cheesy romantic comedy moment for this list, and there’s no better choice than the ending monologue from my all-time favorite movie. It is, quite simply, perfection.

(3) 500 Days of Summer:

The Line: “Who’s Lars from Norway?” “Just some guy she met at the gym with Brad Pitt’s face and Jesus’ abs.”

Why It’s Great: I love Tom’s little sister, who dispenses words of wisdom way beyond her age bracket throughout this movie. Plus, the mental image of a guy with both Brad Pitt’s face and Jesus’s abs is priceless.

(4) Love Actually:

The Line: “We need Kate, and we need Leo. And we need them now.”

Why It’s Great: The father/son relationship in Love Actually is one of the most unexpectedly wonderful parts of the film. And, don’t we all know exactly how it feels to be depressed and to need a little Kate and Leo now?!

(5) My Best Friend’s Wedding:

The Line: “Crème brulée can never be Jell-O. YOU could never be Jell-O.”

Why It’s Great: When it comes to describing relationships and compatibility, this is a great analogy, and the barely concealed venom with which Julia Roberts delivers it to Cameron Diaz is perfect. (Unrelated side note: In this movie, Julia Roberts’s character is supposed to be 27. Twenty-seven! AKA, my age! My mind is officially blown/I feel old).

(6) Little Women:

The Line: “Jo, how could you, your one beauty!”

Why It’s Great: I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but Little Women holds a special place in my heart; it’s just one of those movies that I’ve loved since I was a child. What I’ve always found special about the film is that it’s a mixture of sentimentality, drama, and moments – like this one – that make me laugh. It’s also utterly quotable; my family has been saying variations on this line to each other for years (which makes us sound mean, I know, but trust me – we say it with love).

(7) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:

The Line: “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

Why It’s Great: This comes from what is easily my least favorite movie on the list, but despite my apathy toward the film, this quote has always stuck with me. Perhaps it’s cheesy, but I think it’s pretty profound and true as well.

(8) Bridesmaids:

The Line: “There’s a colonial woman on the wing. She’s churning butter.”

Why It’s Great: The entire airplane scene in Bridesmaids is hilarious and could generate its very own Top Ten list of quotations. Narrowing it down to just this one was tough, but there’s something about the colonial woman (in traditional garb!) that just gets me. Runners up: “Help me, I’m poor” and “It’s called civil rights. This is the 1990s.”

(9) Gladiator:

The Line: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

Why It’s Great: Because this is one of the most badass verbal smackdowns in the history of movies. You tell them, Maximus. Respect.

Ahhh, I forgot about Garden State! That movie came out my freshmen year of college and I remember watching it at the State Theater and thinking it was the Most. Profound. Movie. Ever. So perfect for that time in my life 🙂